do you ever worry about your hobby?

[aferguson]

from time to time, i will find myself fretting over something or other to do with my toy collecting and i have to stop myself and remember it's a hobby and is just for fun.

Am i alone in this?

[VMF115]

I worry but I also worry about the state of our economy...I know one day 1/18th will be back in force. Maybe even be bigger then it was for us guys, maybe with a lot more selection to choose from...

[granch]

Yes, I worry. It takes money, time and place that could be used to make my family life better. But my harmless hobby helps me to be less aggressive from work or family trouble (when I am to much frustrated, it helps more to shoot with my kalashnikov, but it's not possible at my office or in my living room). A lot of wishes for new 1:18 stuffs also helps me to feel alive, even when I know it won't be possible to buy everything I'd like to buy, to custom, and at least to picture. So, I'm waiting for the end of the 6 months delay to be active in the trade section...

[pickelhaube]

You know what? It is not a hobby anymore for me but a way of life.

This is good and bad all the same. I play with 1/18 toys all day long. And I check on the forum and PMs at least 10 times a day.

So it is a job now and the fun part is starting to drift away. Now if only this job could pay my bills that woud be fun .

[Jesse James]

You'd have to define "worry" more specifically I guess, but other than getting out on a toy run to find something I want/need to get yet, I don't really concern myself much about it I guess. good advice that once it's a problem, it's not a hobby anymore. It's more a compulsion at that point.

I know guys who freak out over stuff, spend extra because they're freaked out... It's not a good thing really.

I wouldn't worry one iota about 1:18 military though. There's nothing to worry about.

[Threetoughtrucks]

My only concern/worry for this hobby is the same as for my 1/6 hobby. Being as how I am as old as dirt and have some serious tink involved in my collection AND already have endured one life threatening "incident", I worry about my toys and dollies being dumped in the trash after I kick the bucket.

My concern/worry was lifted somewhat by my big guy telling me, last weekend that, I need not worry, that he wants all my toys for his son when he is old enough to appreciate them. I was showing my big guy my inventory records and what is simple cheap toys and dollies and what is worth money.

My other two kids would throw everything on eBay. Mrs. TTT would keep a few 1/6 horror figs but dump the rest.

TTT

[hotrodrock]

I absolutely worry. My problem with myself is this. For instance, I want the "California Cutie" P-38. Thats the one I don't have. If I buy one, I have no place to display it. It will have to go in the attic, the storage building in the back yard, or one of the two rented storage buildings. I have boxes stacked on top of, under, in front of, and behind other boxes. I have military things and diecast cars I haven't seen in years. So what if All Go suddenly made a come back with several new releases. Sure I would want at least some of them, but they would just have to be packed away. All I could do would be to say "Oh yeah, I got that one". I have well over 100 1/6 figures, some of them expensive limited production pieces, and not one single one of them is on display. No room. Packed away is where they are. At least for me, that time has already come when I asked myself "what am I doing". If I kicked off tomorrow, neither of my grown children would have any interest in any of it, wouldn't even know what most of it was. I have been collecting the things I have for over 20 years. Sad to say, I will open a box with something I got 18 years ago and go "what was I thinking". My nephew and I both kid each other about having too much of "what was I thinking".

[Jnewboy]

I went through all that, the boxes and the storage, in the end I said I would rather have one really nice one of each thing then have all of them and not be totally satisfied with any of them. Thats when I started the customs. I also made it a rule I had to display the finished thing. When I start a project I toss the original box on purpose. Im the only guy on the street whos recycle can is always full of 21st Century & BBi boxes these days.

[Jesse James]

Yeah, I had to cut back on what I wanted to have/collect because displaying it all just wasn't possible... Not with my house anyway. "Super Collectors" in Star Wars have whole buildings devoted to their collections. I consider that excessive. I can see devoting a room or two depending on how big your house is, but I don't even display my stuff where others can see it unless I take them to the rooms to show them.

I'm in the process of changing my office/collection rooms into what I want them to be which is part office, part collection room, and part customizing space... It takes time but it's getting there. I have set my collecting habits to what they need to be though, for the space I have. It's hell not having a giant space to put out everything you want, but that's life. 1/6 is one thing I cut out... I'm always impressed with the 1/6 collections guys post here. Star Wars and WW2, WW1, and US Civil War were all things I wanted to pick 1/6 figures up from, and I just can't do it.

[MG-42]

* I try not to let it bother me that much , but what I do concern myself w/ the most is storage and accumulation over time. I already have quite a collection and space is limited , and of course I only buy what I'm really interested in. I'm actually kind of relieved that 21st. is gone especially @ WAL- MART because I don't have to run around wasting precious fuel looking for the stuff anymore but then again I digress because I kinda' miss the great deals we were once getting.

........... also , I hate to say it , but I sincerely believe 1:18 is a dead horse now and am not concerned about the scale much anymore as i once was because , frankly , I've lost interest in it and have givin' up any hope of its revival despite All-Go ,.. and that in its self is a dead horse too.

....... even though I dabble in & collect certain 1/6 & 1:16 stuff , I just wish FoV or , somebody , would get their act together and start producing some more different , unique , exotic and exciting 1:32nd vehicles again where my heart truly lies after all these yrs.




->>>---------> those are my thoughts ..........................






- Mitch v MG

[Dauntless]

The only time I worry is when I have to part with them due to needing the cash or other factors like room.

I've gotten rid of most of my 1:6 figures. Now I guess it's time to start listing my 1:6 Vehicles.
Got no room to display them anyways, but still it's hard to part with them.
At least they bring decent prices.

Plenty of !:18 and 1:32 to keep me from totally being bummed out.

[Tinman]

Oddly enough, sometimes I worry that JSI or someone will come out with a bunch more planes that I just have to have, but have no place to put....

[MG-42]

.......... yeah . I know @ some point in time I'll have to stop collecting maybe but like I said before that I forgot to add , was the fact I was kinda' glad 21st. is gone cause , there for awhile , I was hoping they were'nt going to put a bunch more stuff out so I won't have to buy it. " IF I DON'T SEE IT , I WON'T BUY IT ". @ one point when they were really cranking stuff out , " I said to myself , please make it stop" , just so I could kinda' catch my breath so to speak but realistically , I am sad they are gone and I'm sure some a you guys know what I mean too though. It was a good thing and a bad thing.



- Mitch

[tmanthegreat]

I guess that if I have a "worry" about this hobby, it really concerns more where I am going to store my current collection for the long term in manner that will both allow for me to keep what I have and enable me to expand for anything that comes up in the future.

Emptying my storage attic is really going to be a chore should I decide to move

[BLACKSNAKES]

There was a time when I worried if I would be able to find the newest release at one of the local Wal marts. Anybody ever go to WM before work, during lunch, and after work? I'm really glad those days are over for that reason, but how cool was it to walk into WM and find a new bird??? I really miss that

[snake]

Overall, the diecast hobby is in good shape. Due in no small part to Hobby Master putting out great models, at a good price. But these are mostly 1/72 and 1/48.

The larger scales however[1/32], have fewer releases than in the past.

1/18, at least the way we remember it, is done. IF we get any future releases, they are going to be expensive and few and far between. And given that we have been spoiled by super low WalMart prices, any new manufacturer is going to have an uphill battle selling these more expensive models.

I am glad that I was able to get the 1/18 models that I have, and with 50+ I have enough to enjoy them for many years to come. It would be nice to see more releases, but I am not going to worry about it. Besides lots of great releases in the smaller scales.

[B17Fortress]

Yeah, I worry. My dad was really into model trains, so I grew up around knowing that, but when I moved out I developed my own interests. As I got into military history, I checked out my local hobby store for the first time in 2008 to see what plastic models they had. As I walked into the store, I saw a massive pile of green boxes covering 1/4 of the store, with a big "50%" off sale on top of it. I investigated, and found a lot of large vehicles and figures, which I soon discovered were 1:18th scale. The vehicles were on average $30, and the figures $4, so I picked up a few and left the store. When I opened the packages, I was amazed, and wanted to get more, but the job and a marriage stopped me from going back. I finally went back a month later, only to find...nothing. I asked the manager, and he said the company (21st Century) was out of business, and all the products went quickly. So I left, with only a Panther and 5 figures in my collection. Then I checked eBay, and spent my overtime paycheck modestly, but recently the prices have been climbing higher, and last week I was lucky enough to find and win a Sd.kfz 251/1 with the MG42 shield, and the S1 M3A3 for a total of $70, but if prices keep going up, I won't buy anymore.

I just wish I could've been into this stuff when the Normandy Farmhouse was in store, but it seems like I have missed that boat and they have all vanished from eBay. If someone would create 1:18 or 1:16 buildings for under $75 a piece, I would be just fine.

[granch]

Dear Snake,
We have perhaps a chance to get more 1/18: Children loves big gifts like a vehicle, PTE have understood that 3 3/4" highly articulated figures are nicely playable and can remain cheap and easy to product. In that sense, I had to repaint a PTE little bird with a metallic dark blue and a lot of silver stars, also making better seats for some Indiana Jones or others like a small family for my daughter (well, looking through eBay for figures that could be guests of an uppermiddleclass marriage is not easy). Yes, my daughter is still in the Barbie and princess time...
I think that this PTE price scale still remains interesting for manufacturers for children between 6 and 12-15, so we can hope, even if we have to do a lot of custom modifications to bring them at a credibble mil diorama level. Or to wait for an hypothetic, expensive new modell many years... Remember what they've done with a "simple" PTE armoured troop carrier at Foxhole: all white, big UN markings... realy so original, that cars die-cast manufacturers nearly never had such an idea.

[snake]

Dear Snake,
We have perhaps a chance to get more 1/18: Children loves big gifts like a vehicle, PTE have understood that 3 3/4" highly articulated figures are nicely playable and can remain cheap and easy to product. In that sense, I had to repaint a PTE little bird with a metallic dark blue and a lot of silver stars, also making better seats for some Indiana Jones or others like a small family for my daughter (well, looking through eBay for figures that could be guests of an uppermiddleclass marriage is not easy). Yes, my daughter is still in the Barbie and princess time...
I think that this PTE price scale still remains interesting for manufacturers for children between 6 and 12-15, so we can hope, even if we have to do a lot of custom modifications to bring them at a credibble mil diorama level. Or to wait for an hypothetic, expensive new modell many years... Remember what they've done with a "simple" PTE armoured troop carrier at Foxhole: all white, big UN markings... realy so original, that cars die-cast manufacturers nearly never had such an idea.

I am not really familiar with PTE. My understanding is that they are very toy like, which is fine if you are buying them for kids. Nothing wrong with that, and it is a niche market.

However the 21 Century and BBI 1/18 models are much more realistic, and designed for the adult collector. Although you could get some for your 10 year old, as long as they understand it is not a toy to be destroyed.

My point is basically that I doubt we will see any new 1/18 for adult collectors in the near future. Other than JSI. Would really like to see them do the F-15, and Su27. And any new releases are going to be expensive. In my opinion, what got us excited about the 1/18 scale in the first place, was that you could get a pretty accurate model, in a huge scale for very little money. Now the latest Tomcats are going for $300. A big difference.

Don't get me wrong, I want 1/18 to continue, but I don't know if collectors are willing to pay the new price points that would be required for a company to be profitable.

Just my thoughts.

[Mad Sam]

When I started collecting 1/18, I identified about 110 different model aircraft releases which I could reasonably expect to find, and I'm just over half way through the list.
Reckon I can get to about 75 on what I know is available over here at the moment.
After that, it will be time to pay more in shipping, but I think I'll be able to get to about 100 before I start to struggle.

Early on, I decided there was no point worrying over if I would ever own limited editions or exclusives which had been released and sold out well before I even found the scale, so never included of them on my 'wants list'.

Sounds daft, but I do worry that there will be a sudden surge on the secondary market, because these thing aren't that cheap here , and I would rather the current slow drip of availability where I can pick off what I want, rather than a glut where I'd be fairly ticked off if I missed something. (Like just after I started collecting and one person put all the 109E AND P47 Razors on E-Bay in one week...Highly frustrating.)

[PanzerArm]

Sometimes I do worry about the money I spend on my hobby.

I recently went through a 60 day period dropping over $1100 on 44 auctions on ebay and that has given me pause as to how much is too much to spend on this hobby. Granted, there was $200 in there for an new Iwata Sprint jet Compressor and Eclipse airbrush, but technically that is still hobby related. It is the most I have ever spent in such a short period of time, and I have taken a bit of a break since then. Instead, I've been focusing on what 1/32 customs I have in the works and I've been focusing on them instead of on getting new stuff on ebay for future customs. It sure is hard though when you have this great idea for a custom that requires some hard-to-find or vintage pieces and one just happens to pop up on ebay when you really shouldn't spend any more money.

Plus, I am running out of space. My closet that I dedicate solely to 1/32 model kits is over flowing, and my work space looks like a post-war armor dump; crowded with disassembled and dismmbered armored vehicles of all varieties. I need to get my intended projects done with so that I can maybe make some room, but there is always seems to be more custom ideas entering my head and the project list keeps growing.

There is also the issue of storage space. The rest of my 1/32 collection, consisting mainly of 21st and FOV stuff, fills about a dozen large boxes in my garage and another six or so in my storage unit. That is the OOB stuff. There is another 3-4 of NIB items in there as well. I have about 60 vehicles or so on display throughout our office as well.

So do I worry, yes, but do i let it bother me too much, no. I always ground my worries by thinking, "Well I could be out there dropping thousands and thousands into a motocross hobby, or paintballing, or RC stuff, or guns and that this is probably much cheaper. And as far as worrying about running out of space, I always tell myself we will eventually get a bigger house


-Kevin

[NightVyper]

I have some worries from spending to insurance, but i get over it and dive back in.

[ram04]

Well, sometimes I think about this as it seems to start to take up space, but then I see what alot of you guys have and I realize that here I'm a novice

[chunks]

1/18 was what got me back into these hobbies. It'll be back someday. Since the hobby got started again, I'd gone into 1/6, but it to has become lacking due to few original releases. I'm now collecting 1/48-50 until something new comes along. So far that's only been in 1/6 but still scarce.

Some 1/48 stuff. Looks real small mixed in with the other stuff. Still hoping for more 1/18.

[granch]

Colonel Chunks,
3 questions:
- What is your address?
- When are you going on hollydays?
- Do you have an alarm system at home?